


Throne of Blood

by flyingnightwing



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Medieval AU, Multi, NSFW, Polyamory, Violence, royal au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:40:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29301297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flyingnightwing/pseuds/flyingnightwing
Summary: He rose to the rank of King by force, leaving a trail of blood behind him. He’s the fear in the hearts of everyone hearing his name, he’s the sword that slays his enemies into oblivion, he’s the Fallen King. With the two pillars to his rule, his two most loyal friends and lovers, nothing can push him off his earned throne.
Relationships: Jason Todd/Reader/Roy Harper
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is me thirsting over the idea of King!Jason. Enjoy!

He has been known by many names over the years. 

_The Second Son._

He was the second ward taken under King Wayne’s wing some years after his first. He was an overachiever, always aiming to reach higher than his predecessor, but didn’t always. Their skills were different, but the expectations remained the same; sometimes, he came up short when he was expected to manage flawlessly. And when he did, it still wasn’t enough. He was charming, but the constant comparison to the first ward was routine in his life. He wasn’t enough, he was too much, but never quite just right.

_The Red Prince._

He liked to wear red, and it was truly his color. It was how he first distinguished himself from the first ward, who prefered blue tints to his garbs. They were the clash of ruby and sapphire, two opposites shining in their own ways. Then the significance of that name turned sinister after the young prince was captured by the enemy and beaten to almost death. The crimson painting of the walls of the dirty chamber he was kept in was forever inked into the memory of the soldiers who got him out.

_The Betrayed._

Thunder cracked over the castle that fateful night as the voices rose in the throne room. Shortly after he got back on his feet again, the prince gathered a handful of the King’s best fighters and begged to go after the man who had done this to him, for he had still not been captured by the army. The King’s brutal refusal in front of his advisors and the soldiers had been humiliating, not only by how he addressed his son, but by his lack of interest to avenge him. Not to mention the taunting presence of the third ward, the one that had been designed to take _his_ place by the King, looking down at him with pity and unease. That night, as the first winter winds blew over the land, he equipped his sword and jumped on the fastest steed, never to return to the Castle.

_The Red Hood._

He was no longer a Prince, not by name, not by status, not by riches. He was alone once again, back to his ways before he was taken into the world of royalty. He travelled through the continent with the murmurs of his legendary brutality, his black steed and blood splattered hood spreading fear among thieves and criminals. He was on the road until winter began once again, his reputation building as massive as his trail of bodies over the seasons, until he settled for a neighboring kingdom to the east of his father’s. Such a well established kingdom, ruled by the descendant of a long bloodline of kings, was supposedly impossible to take, especially not by a man on his own. But rumors had it that he was spotted with two other hooded figures, both sporting some sort of red garbs. One archer, and the other carrying two double edged axes on their back. It was said they followed him wherever he went, fighting by his side as deadly and swift as he did. 

_The Fallen King._

Whether his soldiers were truly loyal or they feared him enough to stay, it was undeniable the new King exuded enough power to settle into his rule swiftly and without great mutiny. Perhaps it was respect for his achievement of taking a well guarded kingdom, or for cleaning the streets of some violent guild that had taken residency in the dark corners of the town. His reputation built even further, so much that the kingdoms around him began to feel restless with his as a neighbor. One specifically, the strongest of the region, his father’s. He was such a promising prince, a young man who valued justice and morals, who would sacrifice himself for the crest on his chest. Now he wore a distorted version of it, blood red and sharper, ringing the bells of vengeance and violence wherever his banners flew. 

“Oh, don’t get ahead of yourself now” You snorted as you walked side by side with Roy. Your footsteps echoed on the stone floor in the hallway, joining the whispers of the winds from outside. Your path was lit with torches hanging from the high ceiling and casting a warm glow over the blood red carpet. It was a similar shade to the crest carved into the chest of your leather armors. They weren’t as worn out as the ones you had before, in fact, they were your clean ones for when you had to be seen in public. “Even you can’t make that shot”

“I don’t know why you’d be so reckless with that gamble” He let out a sarcastic sad sigh. “But please do bet some gold, it’ll be a pleasure to take it from you”

“I don’t believe it” You shook your head as you walked past a soldier to a backroom. “It’s too far North, and the winds are against you. You’ll never hit bullseyes on an armored guard at that”

“Oh, he can” Came the low reply from Jason. He was adjusting his crown in front of a miroir, only mildly interested by the conversation. “His archery skills are far superior to anyone I’ve ever seen, and it’s a clean line from the western watchtower when the skies are clear”

Roy turned around with a triumphant grin, bumping your shoulder with his. He was about to taunt you some more when Jason spoke again.

“But he won’t” He declared, turning around with a smirk on his lips. “Because he’s an idiot”

You laughed loudly as Roy’s face fell. “Laugh all you want” He grumbled. “I’ll prove you both wrong”

“I’m sure you will” Jason replied as he turned around and headed for the throne room. You followed a pace behind, Roy on his right and you on his left. The walk was short, and soon enough he took his place on the throne on the pedestal in the middle of the room. It was well crafted, but still humble compared to some other he had seen in his younger years. It was safe to say that Jason did not carry the pretensions of the long reigning Kings. He sat on the chair as you and Roy stood each side, awaiting the first requestant of the day. 

With a wave of his hand, the soldiers let the first man enter the room. And so it went for a while, one after the other, the citizens of the kingdom took turns in being heard and answered if possible. However, an interesting scene deployed just as the daylight reached the high windows on the east wall, casting steel cold pools of light on the marble floor. A man with graying hair walked down the carpet with a beautiful young lady behind him. They both bowed before addressing their King.

“Your Majesty” The man began. “Allow me to introduce us. My name is Lord William Lebourgeois, and this is my daughter Beatrice. I noticed after a year of reign you had not found a wife. May I propose my daughter’s hand in marriage?”

Your eyebrow raised as your head slowly turned to meet Roy’s equally surprised eyes. Not even the bolder parts of the old nobility had dared approach Jason on that matter, and while you somewhat admired the audacity of this man to come like this in front of a King renowned for his short temper, you couldn’t help but clench your jaw at the simple _idea_ of a wedding. And judging by Roy’s tense posture, you knew he once again shared your sentiment. 

“I can assure you she is quite tame, and most importantly, a virg–”

“Quiet” Jason commanded, raising a hand at the man. His eyes were on the girl with an unreadable expression. Then, he slowly stood up and changed his hand gesture to bekon the girl closer. Timidly, she met Jason at the bottom of the small set of stairs. The silver light from the storm did nothing to dull the golden glow of her hair or the porcelaine sparkle of her skin. Slowly, he reached his hand to her cheek and softly rubbed a calloused thumb on her cheek. She flinched ever so slightly, which made Jason pause his movements. She was terrified of him, that was clear, yet she tried so hard to be brave.

“You’re quite beautiful, Lady Beatrice” He muttered, letting his hand drop. He sent a wary glance to the man before he returned a kinder glance on her. He knew the man could not hear them from this distance. “So do not think this is your fault when I say I refuse your father’s proposal. If you face retribution, run back here and we will take care of it”

He straightened and took a step back. “I appreciate the effort of coming all this way, but unfortunately I seek not to be married” He declared as he turned around and climbed back the stairs to his throne. He faced the graying man again. “Especially not to someone who does not want it. You can leave now”

He sat back down and your shoulders untensed. You knew this day would come when he would actually get proposals–he was the King after all–but you did not expect it to be so hard to stand by and watch it happen. And now the word would get out, and more would try their luck, you were sure of it. Still, you trusted Jason enough to consult with you and Roy before he made that kind of decision. 

The man walked out of the room, stomping and grumbling under his breath while his daughter followed with her head low. You heard what Jason told her, so it did not surprise you when he called your name and asked you to delegate a member of his guard to follow them and keep watch.

“Make sure whoever goes, they’re not seen by anyone” He instructed.

You nodded and walked down the pedestal to a side room. You suspected you’d see the blonde again, if the public reaction of the man was anything to go by. You found the chief of the guard talking with one of the soldiers, then called him over. 

“The King wants a scout to follow Lord Lebourgeois and his daughter” You began after he gave you a nod of respect. “He wants no harm to become the girl. If so happens, she is to be brought into our care safely. The scout is not to be seen following them or watching them”

“Of course” He nodded once again. “I’ll send one right now”

“Thank you” You said as you turned around and went back to the throne room for more requests. 

You took a short break on mid day, then went back to it. You were almost done for the day; the outside light was dimming fast and the torches on the walls had been lit. Just as you thought the day could not get more eventful, that the proposal from earlier was an isolated event, you got taken aback once again. Two men in ceremonial knight gear walked head high almost to the first step of the pedestal. They seemed like trouble, so you watched Jason’s reaction closely. 

“Usurper!” The man greeted, and Jason’s face turned amused. It seemed to unsettle the man who spoke that he did not get angry at the title, but he recomposed himself quickly. “I am Ser Friedrich of Gallaway. When you took the castle a year ago on this day, you beheaded my father for standing up to you. Prepare to suffer the same fate at my hands”

Roy laughed. “You cannot be serious. You look frail enough to break with the wind, let alone to fight someone in the likes of your _King_ ”

Friedrich did not appreciate that. He turned red in the face, especially at the fact that Jason did not correct him for speaking out of turn. “I am here to challenge you, the disgraced prince of Wayne’s kingdom, to a duel to the death”

“I think you forgot who you were addressing, Ser. You should do well to remember you are speaking to King” You spoke up with a derisive sneer. “Besides, you are a fool if you believe you can come out victorious of a duel with–”

“Please” Jason softly interrupted you, his face even more amused than before. “Let the man lay out his term. I wouldn’t want to come off as unfair, now would I?”

You tilted your head, clearing your throat. “Of course not”

“Apologies, fair sir” He returned his attention to the man. “Please, go ahead and tell me all about this duel you are proposing”

Now he was truly insulted at the way none of you took him seriously. “You forced me to hide for a year. I have trained my whole life as a knight, and even more in the last year” He began his pitch. “I observed how you fought. I have the Holy Grace on my side, and today is the day your reign of terror ends. I hope you enjoyed it while it lasted”

“Inspiring. I’m almost moved by his cause” You muttered, observing a slight curve upward of Jason’s lips.

“Very well” He replied to the man, standing up. “I accept your challenge. Although, I would strongly advise against making it to the death and instead pleading for a yield”

“What, afraid you’ll lose?” Friedrich now had a cocky expression. Poor man had no idea what was waiting for him.

Jason now smiled fully, something sinister and promising. “Did you wish to nominate any other witness to the duel than the people present in this room?”

“No” He scoffed. “They’ll be enough. When I win, they won’t have the choice but to admit it was won fair and square”

“If you desire so” He shrugged. Slowly, he took off the heavy cloak on his shoulders, then the metal plastron that served really more of a decorative purpose. He was left with a linen shirt that exposed countless scars on his torso, and yet it was only a small part of them that were visible. Then, he turned to you. “Would you be a darling and let me borrow your sword? I did not expect a fight today, and I would not want to make this gentleman wait any longer while somebody goes fetch mine”

“It would be my pleasure” You grinned and pulled your sword from its sheath on your hip, handing it to him. “My King”

He winked and thanked you, taking the hilt and twirling it a few times in his hands. He then nodded to himself and climbed down the pedestal for the second time that day. “Last chance to choose yield instead, Ser Friedrich” He warned.

“I’ll take my chances”

Like a beginner, he launched himself first into Jason, who easily side stepped him and slapped the back of his sword on the man’s back. A taunting gesture, you recognized, to show he could have ended it there but chose to make it last a bit longer. He had done that a few times when he had trained you, so you knew first hand how humiliating it could be, especially in these circumstances. 

“Do you even remember him?” He yelled as he attacked yet once again off balance. Jason knocked his weapon out of his hands this time, and let him scramble for it like a cockroach. “My father?”

“Hard to forget” He hummed, holding the sword behind his back and dodging the hits. The more frustrated the man grew, the sloppier his hit became. For someone who had trained all of his life, his performance wasn’t very impressive. “Whiny. Rash. A tad arrogant. And he was a fool, just like you”

He jumped back to avoid a jab in the stomach, and that’s when he brought back his blade to his front. “I gave him a choice. To follow or leave” He kept explaining, attempting half hearted attempts at offenses. “He chose to stay and challenge me. That’s what cost him his head”

He left him a few seconds to comprehend his words before attacking fast, leaving him no chance to block. A swift movement of his sword later, the steel had pierced his throat all the way through. Jason paused there, observing the man gurgling on his own blood, life draining out of him. 

“Just like it cost yours” He muttered as he pulled back the sword and let the body fall at his feet. “Send him my sincere greetings, would you?”

He wiped the sword on Friedrich’s cape and glanced at his companion, who had a shocked expression on his face. He walked slowly toward him, stopping at a reasonable distance. 

“Tell anyone who associates with your cause what you saw here today” He spoke in a levelled voice, not even out of breath or bothered from the fight he just finished. “Let them know they can either leave or stop. If they chose the same path as their leader and his father before him, this is the fate they’ll share”

He turned around and returned to his throne for the last requests of the day.

—-

The steam was clouding the baths, the water sticking to the tiles and slowly slipping down the walls from the condensation. Jason was soaking in the hot water, his eyes closed and his features relaxed. Only the upper half of his chest was not submerged, and his arms were resting on the side of the dug up bassin. You were lying on your side on the edge, your hand lazily moving the water in a small circle. You had only a thin robe on, nothing that would be considered acceptable to wear anywhere but in the privacy of a quiet bath. You knew Roy would join up soon, after he dealt with some business probably, but for now it was only the two of you. 

“Your first challenge and your first proposal” You sighed. “It was bound to happen eventually, but I didn’t think they’d both happen the same day”

His eyes remained closed, but his lips curved upward. “Is that a hint of jealousy I’m detecting in your voice, (Y/N)?” 

“About the challenge?”

He only opened his eyes, sending you a knowing glance. You rolled your eyes.

“Maybe” You answered his question finally. _It wasn’t about the challenge_. “There are hundreds of beautiful women in this Kingdom and beyond who would throw themselves at you just for a chance to be your queen”

“Most of them are terrified to even look me in the eyes” He countered, holding your stare to make his point. _You weren’t_ , that’s what he was letting you know. His hand reached out and caressed your cheek, making you lean in into his touch. “And like I said before, I am not seeking to get married. I have everything I need right here”

He pulled himself forward enough to softly press his lips to yours. It was gentle and reassuring, and having this kind of attention from him drove you all the best kinds of crazy. You had all the devotion in the world to him, there was no question about it. From the moment he found you naked and bloody and freezing around some roadside inn to when he trusted you to be part of his crusade and to stay at his side. You loved him, and you believed he loved you too.

You jumped at the feeling of a hand sneaking around your waist and a pair of lips lightly kissing your satin clad shoulder. Jason smiled against your lips before pulling away, his eyes locking on Roy behind you but still staying in your space. 

“Starting without me I see” Roy hummed, rubbing circles on your hip. You craned your neck over your shoulder and smiled at him. “Unbelievable”

“Well…” You trailed off. “What the King wants, he gets” 

“Talking about that,” Jason began, using a bit of his authority voice. That instantly grabbed both yours and Roy’s attention like a reflex. A spark of satisfaction shone in his eyes, like he was still enjoying that reaction from you both. He bekonned Roy to his other side, and like a loyal subject, obeyed without a word. 

“You’ve both spoken out of turn today” He tsked as Roy came to a halt beside him and knelt down. He was shirtless, only wearing his breeches from the day. You took a moment to admire his well sculpted muscles before your eyes found Jason again. “Anything to say in your defense?”

“He was an idiot?” Roy offered sheepishly. “You couldn’t tell him that because of decorum, but we could. And we did”

“What he said” You grinned.

Jason raised his hand and gently pushed Roy’s chin up, staring at him intensely. If you didn’t know him, you’d say he was actually staring right into his soul. _And even then, perhaps he was in fact doing just that_. Like with you before, his touch was gentle and careful. He had the physical strength to hurt either of you ten times over before you could react, but he never did, and that’s why you felt safer with him than with anyone. 

“You’re lucky you’re so handsome” He hummed. “Because your justification is a terrible one, to say the least”

“Please Jay” You drawled out, resting your head on your hands. The way you said it grabbed both men’s attention alright, their eyes slightly darker. “He just reacted to an attack against you. You know how we feel about things or people trying to hurt our beloved King, don’t you?”

“Indeed, your Majesty” Roy replied coyly, enveloping Jason’s hand in his and kissing his pulse on his wrist. You could sense he was starting to lose his grip on his usual restraint and slip into the daze of the affection he was being given. “That fool had no right to talk to you that way. You deserve so much more than a little man yelling insults at you. You deserve praises, and adoration among so much more”

By the time Roy was done sweet talking into getting his way, Jason’s head was tilted to the side, his eyes hooded and muscles relaxed. “I swear you two will be the death of me” He groaned, leaning back in the bassin. You moved behind him to massage his shoulders while Roy trailed his lips up his arm. “Fuck”

He swore under his breath as Roy bit the sensitive skin of his neck. You let out a little laugh at the action, and at the shit eating grin he now had. Jason, however, was biting his lower lip not to come undone just yet. You knew it was just a matter of seconds now before he became a moaning mess, like every single time no matter how hard he tried to avoid it.

“Your Grace there’s–”

And just like that, the mood shattered like glass on concrete. Jason visibly tensed as Roy paused, looking up in exasperation at the interruption. Your eyes found the source of the noise, but you doubted it was your annoying stare that made his face blanch and his hand tremble. You could not see Jason’s expression, but you had a doubt it was nothing short of a murderous glare on the poor son of a bitch who dared barge in unannounced.

“M-My apologies my King” He stuttered. He couldn’t have been very old judging by his youthful features, and that’s probably why he wasn’t dead already. “I didn’t mean to– I will come back later if you wish–”

Jason took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “You’re already here” He exhaled slowly. “Speak”

“A messenger delivered this from the Blüdhaven kingdom a few minutes ago” 

Jason’s eyes popped open at the boy’s words. _What business could_ that _asshole possibly have with him?_ He jerked his head slightly toward him, and you rose on your feet to fetch the message. He bowed slightly as he handed you the sealed letter, the tinted blue wax displaying a bird shaped stamp. You nodded at the boy and returned the letter to Jason.

“We thought it was important for it to be brought to you immediately–”

“It was” He interrupted, but not as dryly as a few seconds ago. Now, it was rather preoccupied, or concerned by the content of the message. “Thank you”

He bowed again and all but ran out of the room, making sure to close the door behind him. You sat on the side of the bath, glancing down to the letter Jason was observing intensely without opening. He twirled the paper in his hands, briefly pausing at the blue crest staring back at him. 

“Well, let’s see what he wants” Roy spoke first. “Open it”

Jason locked his jaw, but broke the wax seal anyway and began reading. The message was short, but clear; Bruce Wayne was assembling a coalition of neighboring kingdoms to circle him until he stepped down, and the word was spreading fast. According to his brother, he had a fortnight to renounce his claim or force would be used. 

“If it’s war he wants…” Jason trailed off, his voice low and menacing like you had rarely heard. He slowly crumbled the letter in his hand, crushing the paper in a tight fist like you had no doubt he wished it to be the offender’s neck. “Then that’s exactly what he’ll get”


	2. Chapter 2

“I still don’t believe it”

The sky was clear and the sun was high, reflecting on the crystal white of the snow covering the land. A cold wind blew over the western watchtower, reddening Roy’s cheeks in a similar tint to his coat. He looked down to you and grinned. 

“Say what you may,” He replied, pulling slightly the string of his bow twice. “I’m hitting that target, darling”

“So smug” You sighed, twirling the arrow in your fingers before handing it to him. “Let’s see, my dear. One chance, gotta hit the mark”

He only winked and armed his bow, carefully drawing his bowstring. He paused there and closed his eyes, feeling the force of the wind and calculating his aiming angles. You could see in the distance the Wayne Kingdom’s guarding post and a small dot pacing around. Roy reopened his eyes and angled his bow to the right, then up. As he breathed out, he let the string go. 

First thing you knew, the little dot fell over the ledge of the tower.

“I…” You mumbled, your jaw going just a bit slack. You couldn’t stop staring at the guard post. 

“That’s right!” He laughed, pumping his fist in the air. “I told ya I was gonna make it”

“Well, I know to admit when I’m beaten” You sighed again, looking back at him. His eyes were shining with pride and mischief. “How many golds did I owe you again? 4?”

“Mhh, forget the gold” His cold hand trailed up your neck to rest behind your ear, tangled in your hair. “That baffled expression on your face is more than enough to satisfy my ego” 

“Are you sure?” You teased further, letting him invade your personal space. “Your ego is pret-ty big sometimes”

“You’re right” He breathed out, rubbing your temple he was so close to you, his lips were almost on yours. “Maybe there is something you could do for me after all”

“Name it” You said, smiling. “I owe you one, after all”

He didn’t answer, only closed the short distance between you two. His cold, chapped lips met yours in a soft kiss as his other hand snaked around your waist. You could feel his bow digging into your back, but you didn’t care. Your hands went around his neck to pull him even closer to you, letting him shield you from the harsh wind. He was so warm, you wanted to stay against him for hours more. 

“Did we ever do it on the western tower?” He asked as he pulled back to breathe. 

“On the south tower, we did” You nodded, panting. “There was also this one time with Jason on the north balc– Fuck”

Your eyes shut as he bit the skin of your neck, then sucked on it. “So we never did it on this watchtower” He hummed against you. “Right, because that guard definitely had a field glass. But now he can’t spy on us” 

“My Lord, my Lady”

You shut your eyes, trying so hard not to snap at the boy. _You could never have a moment of intimacy in this castle, it seemed_. Roy recomposed himself first, straightening his back and facing him. He didn’t even look shameful or bashful at all, instead, he was pretty relaxed. 

“Yes?”

“His Majesty requires your presence in the throne room” He said, his cheeks slightly pink in embarrassment. “It seemed pretty urgent”

You both shared a concerned glance. Without another word, you swerved passed the boy and walked straight to the throne room. You were a bit far, but you believed you set your record on how fast you could cross the entire castle. Your strides were long and purposeful, and your hands were not far from your weapons.

You ended up in the large room sooner than later, your eyes scanning for any imminent danger. Instead, you found a small crowd of seven people in front of the throne’s pedestal. One of the men caught your attention–and everyone else’s probably–by his looks alone. Tall, dark hair, wide blue eyes and one stunning armor. The blue bird on his chest contrasted the black of the armor, sticking out from the silver gray of his guards. His posture was tensed, but not as much as Jason’s on the throne. You and Roy slowly took your place on his side, finally making you be seen by the handsome man. His eyes found Roy first, and they exchanged a long glance. Then, it was your turn. He studied you for a moment before he turned to Jason again. 

“Listen, I don’t want any trouble” He said, holding his hands up. “I’m only here to warn you”

“You could have sent another message if it was that important” Jason sneered. _So this was his brother_.

“Jason, I’m serious” He rubbed his nose. “Father is done and through with this will he won’t he. He is determined to stop you”

“Let him come” He snorted. “I know his every move, Dick. He can’t touch me”

“He knows that,” He argued, frustrated. “That’s why he issued capture warrants for both of them, effective as we speak”

Jason froze as his brother pointed at you and Roy. His face betrayed no emotion, but you knew a sensitive chord had been hit. You didn’t like how his own father tried to hurt him that way, and it made you angry. _How dare he try and hurt your Jason._

“He’s not gonna kill us” Roy spoke, but even he had a subtle uncertainty in his voice. The mighty King Wayne didn’t kill, but this moral guideline might have wavered if Jason had pushed him far enough. 

“He won’t” Dick replied. “But it doesn’t mean pain won’t be involved”

“If he even tries, I’ll kill him myself” Jason grumbled. “He’s not ready for–”

It happened fast. Your attention was divided in between the two brothers, so much that you failed to do a visual sweep of the room. You missed the two shadows on the higher balcony, or the draw of a bow that was aimed in your direction. It was the quiet sound of the arrow flying through the air that tipped you off, making you turn on the side by instinct to protect yourself. You felt the sharp steel of the tip pierce your shoulder–instead of your heart–and you fell on your knee. Before you could touch the ground, Roy fired and dropped the two shadows from the balcony before they could shoot anyone else. In a blink, Jason was over you and Dick was barking orders to his men to stand down. 

Then came your scream of pain.

“Hey, hey, look at me” Jason called, bringing your attention to him. Your breathing was shallow and you wanted to pass out from the pain. You could feel the arrow tear and burn your flesh at every muscle contraction, and the hot blood slowly and steadily flow down your back. “You’ll be okay. Don’t pass out just yet, stay with me” 

“I’m sorry” You rasped out in between two shallow breaths. You were pretty sure the arrow had been barbed by the pain that was pulsing through your entire upper body. “I didn’t see him sooner. That was a rookie mistake”

“No, this is on me, not you” Jason’s beautiful face was twisted with guilt. “I– I didn’t see him, I should have known– _Fuck_ ”

His hands started trembling around the arrow he was holding steady. His hands were red already and you were getting drowsy; you had no more feeling in your right hand already, your entire arm hanging limp from your body. Black dots veiled your vision that was becoming blurry by the second, only dissipated for an instant when Roy appeared in front of you. 

“Dick and Commander Garret got it” He told Jason before holding your head in his hands, forcing you to focus your attention on him. “You’ll be fine, but we need to move you. It’s gonna hurt. A lot”

“Can’t be worse” You joked, your voice slightly slurred and your smile resembling a grimace more than anything else. His expression turned sorry while he offered you back a pity smile. _Oh, it would be a lot worse._

And he was right. They lifted you easily, both their strength more than enough to support you, and carefully made their way to the side room. You bit your cheek hard enough to draw blood so you wouldn’t scream again with every step they took. There, with one swipe of his arm, Jason threw everything off the stone table in the middle of the room, sending flying some probably priceless items on the floor. He didn’t care. They laid you face down, then rushed to stop the blood flow.

“The doctor is on her way” You heard Roy say as you felt fabric pressed around the shaft of the arrow. You tuned in and out of the conversation, unable to keep focus on their voices for more than a few seconds at the time. A nap seemed so good right now.

“How did we not see them–”

“Don’t start blaming yourself again–”

“Well, it’s pretty much my fault if–”

“Jay, _we_ are _your_ guards, we knew–”

“Still! I’m the one who’s supposed to–”

“If you want me to take out this arrow, you’ll need to stop arguing and start helping me–”

“Yes ma’am”

“Sorry ma’am”

 _Some doctor she was._ If only you could see their faces. You felt them working around you, something cold on your skin, followed by the arrow being pulled out of your shoulder. At this point, everything felt the same. Your pain was just everywhere, but now you knew at least the arrow was out. You heard the doctor shoo out Jason and Roy, then you passed out.

—

The tremble in Jason’s hands went away when Roy closed the door of the room behind them. His eyes turned as hard as steel as he faced the throne room, and without looking back, went straight for it. All heads in the room turned at the sound of him coming in again, and he had an idea why they kept staring. Your blood was still on his arms, reddening his skin up to the elbow. His hair was a mess and his eyes read violence. He stopped in front of the still moving body of one of the assassins. Roy’s arrow went through his cheek, but he was still alive. He glanced briefly at the other body, still with two arrows in the throat, then back to the one at his feet. Nobody else dared to move, not Roy, not his brother, not the guards around him watching the scene unfold in front of them. 

Roy had a similar posture. Despite shooting in a reflex, his rage had left him guide his aim in the fire of the action. He had known in that split second that the man who fired the arrow didn’t deserve a quick death, that an arrow to the chest like his friend would be a mercy. Instead, he had gone for the painful shot that would leave him alive for the wolf the devour. Besides, it wouldn’t have been fair for Roy to have them _both_ to himself.

Jason bent down and grabbed the man by the back of the neck, dragging him along with him. The man couldn’t talk, only moan in pain as he was forced to follow Jason’s angry pace. Roy wasn’t far behind, eager to see what would happen next. Jason wasn’t a predictable man, especially not when angry. And now, it would be an understatement to say he was furious. 

Jason dragged the man through the room, then out of the castle and across the stone bridge. He stopped only when he was out of the fortified gates, where the towns citizens passing by eyed the scene with horror. A crowd gathered around, and Jason waited until there were enough people around to speak. He must have looked insane like this, bloody and disheveled, unhinged and on the edge. He usually wouldn’t have gone in public like this, but he needed to pass a message. 

“This man has committed a crime against the crown” He began, and silence fell over the crowd. The man writhed in his hand, but he was too weak to escape the iron grip on his neck. “He snuck into the castle and attempted to kill my personal guard and advisor under a mandate issued by a neighboring Kingdom. If anyone has any idea to follow in his footsteps, this is what will happen. No one trying to claim the bounty will end up any better than him. Somebody fetch me a rope. A sturdy one”

It didn’t take time for one of the guards to come back with a thick rope and give it to him. He kicked the man down and held him there with his foot, ignoring his moans of pain as he worked on a noose. He looped it around the man’s neck and pulled him back on his feet. The sound of his sword sliding out of its sheath was deafening, and even more so the footsteps he took to stand in front of the man. 

“Death is too kind for your crime” He muttered. “But it’s what you’ll get today, because I don’t want to see your face ever again. Tell the devil I said hi when he pulls out your guts”

With a quick movement of his sword, he sliced his stomach deep enough for his insides to spill on the pavement. Jason stood there, watching him for a minute before he walked away. He only paused when he was shoulder to shoulder with his guard.

“Hoist him up the gate” He instructed, but there was no place for arguments and the boy knew it. “So he can serve as an example for the rest of them”

Then he kept walking. 

—

_“Your progress is impressive”_

_You looked up from the gourd you were drinking from, your chest still rising quickly after the effort you just made. You had stopped outside a little road town and set camp in the woods. Like always, you’d take an hour or two to train with Jason. You had a lot to learn to even get close to an acceptable gap between your skills and theirs, but they were patient with you._

_“Thanks” You nodded as you closed the gourd again. Night was setting in soon, announcing the end of today’s training session._

_“I think you are ready to choose a weapon of your own” He said as he put back his sword in its sheath. “One’s choice of weapon is personal, and it can be quite telling about its wielder”_

_“Choose a bow and arrows” Roy called as he came back from the woods, dinner in hand. He had caught four rabbits and a bird. “There’s nothing quite like it”_

_“See, Roy chose a bow,” Jason explained further. “This tells us that he’s an idiot”_

_You laughed as Roy rolled his eyes exaggeratedly. “Ha ha” He laughed dryly. “You’d look like a clown if I wasn’t your long shot”_

_“I’m not gonna choose a bow” You shook your head, chuckling. “I’ll leave the exclusivity to you”_

_You turned around as they kept bickering, looking over to the small bunch of weapons your party carried. Swords, curved blades, barbed sticks and one sharp looking spear were staring back at you, but nothing caught your eyes. That was until you spotted the two bodies laying a few paces away from your camp, reminding you of the two mercenaries who tried to ambush you earlier to catch the reward for your heads. Tried being the keyword, because the two amateurs had no idea who they went up against. Despite their sharp battle axes, they were taken down in a blink. You wandered toward them and picked up the two weapons beside them, then came back._

_“I want these ones”_

_They both turned to you, surprised by your choice. Jason stepped closer to you, gently pushing up your arm so he could have a good look at one of the axes. The double edge was kept sharp, and it seemed balanced. He looked back at you._

_“Those are quite heavy weapons. Warrior type, devastating things” He hummed. “You need quite some strength to wield them precisely and inflict damage. Are you sure?”_

_“You think I can’t do it?” You raised your eyebrow in challenge. He smiled._

_“Oh no, I know you can do it. I even think the axes will suit your style” He chuckled, holding your stare. “All I’m saying is you’ll need to put the work into it”_

_“I’m ready” You lifted your chin up. “I don’t want to feel powerless ever again”_

_“With these, you won’t” Roy said as he passed behind you. You could just hear the grin in his voice. “Whoever will stand in your way will have no idea what came for them”_

—

Jason already hated meetings, but this one had been particularly long. Not only because he was worried for you, but because he was alone. Roy was with you, making sure nobody got to you while you recovered, which left Jason off to bear the entire meeting without at least his favourite people by his side. But it was crucial for him to be there, because it was when he decided the counter offensive to adopt. His troops had been sent across the border, blocking all the roads to his territory. No army could march in without being met with resistance. He was well aware he was escalating the tensions tenfold by doing that, but his father deserved everything that would come his way. 

The sky was cloudy, but the weather was nice for winter. He stepped outside, spotting the man in black and blue observing the frozen garden with little interest. At the sound of Jason approaching, Dick faced him. 

“Well, you got a grip of yourself quicker than I expected” He hummed, noticing the lack of blood on his hands and his combed hair. He had changed to his black and red armor, leaving behind more formal wear for the time being. “I’m surprised”

“Don’t be” Jason snorted as the two men began slowly walking side by side. “I am aware I have a duty that I must do, no matter what happens”

Dick eyed him without commenting on that matter. “I suppose I am not allowed to leave just yet”

Jason smiled without humor. “That’s right”

“You know I could easily escape on my own”

“And you know if you did I would drag you back here by the neck”

“Obviously” Dick rolled his eyes. “What about my men?”

“Escorted out of my territory with the soldiers who are heading east” He replied.

“Why are you doing this?”

Jason raised an eyebrow. “Why, to make our dear father sweat a little” He shrugged. “His golden son close enough for me to strike down quickly if he even thinks of pulling that shit again”

Dick remained quiet for a moment, his head down. He was aware his brother was watching him, looking for any sign of guilt or responsibility in that matter. “You know I would have never let those men tag along with me, right?”

“Do I, now?” Jason hummed. “They used your presence here to sneak in. I’m sure you know how this looks like”

“Jason” Dick sighed. “I don’t want to see you fall. I might not agree with some things you do, but there is a reason I came here to warn you”

He didn’t answer.

“Besides, I would have never tried to hurt the woman you love. I wouldn’t have done that to you” He added. “To you and to Roy”

Jason’s head snapped up, his wide eyes setting on Dick. _How did he know?_

“It’s quite obvious. Both your reactions were one of love, and there is clearly no competition between you two. It wasn’t very subtle” Dick explained. “And no, you did not say that out loud, but your face did. You forget sometimes I know you both better than you want to admit it”

Jason sighed. Of course, Dick would see it instantly. It’s not like he was ashamed of his relationship, on the contrary, his staff already knew it all about it judging by the number of times they barged on them in compromising situations and he did not worry about them knowing. But he knew decorum frowned upon it and a lot of people who already had something against him would only use it to further their case. He wanted to protect his family more than anything. 

“You’re lucky to have them, and they’re lucky to have you” Dick spoke again after a moment. “I hope she’ll be okay”  
  


“I hope she’ll be too, for your sake” Jason turned serious again.

“What does that mean?” He grew wary, straightening his back. Keeping him here was one thing, and he’d quietly stay if it could appease his brother to have him somehow prisoner, but he wasn’t sure he’d accept being threatened. 

“Whether or not it was voluntary, you brought those opportunists here” Jason didn’t back down. “If she doesn’t make it, I will rain hellfire on everything Bruce loves, starting by his most prodigal son”

The two men stared at each other in confrontation, shoulders squared and the tension so tight it could be cut with a knife. And that knife was apparently named Roy.

“I think it won’t be necessary,” Roy said carefully, breaking the heavy silence. “She has been awake for a few hours, the doctor is changing her bandages. You should go see her”

Jason looked in between both men, then nodded at Roy. “I guess you two have things to talk about. I’ll leave you to it”

He walked away without looking back, and instead focused his thoughts on you. His feet guided him to the infirmary while his mind was far away from this reality, spiraling down what ifs and worst case scenarios. He paused in front of the door, then knocked and pushed the door open. 

“Ah, King Jason” The doctor greeted as she washed her hands. “Just on time. I’ll leave you two in a second”

“Is she okay?” He asked.

“Ask her yourself” She smiled before wiping her hand on a rag and leaving.

You blinked slowly as the voices registered around you. You were feeling tired, but you wanted to stay awake a bit longer to speak to him as well. Roy had spent the majority of the day with you, well past sundown. You turned your head and smiled at him, easing just a bit of concern off his handsome features. 

“Hey” Your voice was weaker than usual, and you had no doubt you looked paler too. According to the doctor, it was possible to make a full recovery if nothing got infected before the wound healed at least a little bit. She’d have to check in inflammation as well, but it looked not so bad so far. 

Jason couldn’t help but smile back as he reached you and sat on the chair left beside the bed. He brushed hair away from your forehead with the back of his hand, relieved he couldn’t feel the heat of a fever coming out of you. “How are you feeling?”

“Just peachy” You chuckled, then flinched at the pain in your shoulder. “Ow”

“Take it easy” He soothed, caressing your uninjured shoulder. His touch was so comforting, you wished he’d never take his hand away. “I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner”

“S'okay” You replied. “I know you must have had a lot to do after this shit show” 

“Still” He sighed. “I should have just–”

“Don’t start blaming yourself” You frowned. “None of this was your fault. I don’t want to see this expression on your face anymore, now”

He snorted. “Roy said the same thing, you know?”

“Well, he was right” You smirked. “You should listen to him sometimes” 

He rolled his eyes playfully. “Of course you choose this time to gang up on me”

“I dreamed about you” You changed the subject before he could find a new way to blame himself. “Well, I don’t know if it was a dream or a vivid display of a memory. Everything was too hazy to make the distinction”

“What was it about?” He asked, rubbing his thumb in circles on your shoulder. 

“When I chose my axes” You answered. “It’s a good memory. It did make me feel better”

“If I recall correctly, it was also the first night I kissed you” His tone turned teasing. “First night Roy kissed you as well. Beside the fire as the summer began, right after wiping out the guild members on the edge of the Kingdom of Blüdhaven”

“Hmm, I recall we did more than just kiss”

The soft glow of the fire, three naked bodies intertwined as they moved in sync, breathless moans and wandering hands. Jason had to chase that perfect picture away from his mind before it could lead him somewhere inappropriate for the situation, no matter how he wanted to close his eyes again and let the memory play out in full. You did it on purpose, he knew that much, probably to cheer him up or pull his mind further away from the less than pleasant reality. 

“You’re going to kill me one day” He grunted, and you let out a little laugh, careful not to pull your stitches. Your hand found his and you squeezed it lightly, making him look down briefly at your locked fingers. He took a deep breath and sighed longly. 

“What’s on your mind?”

“Doesn’t matter” He shook his head, but you didn’t back down your stare. Finally, he caved. “The assassins. They’re dead, and the one that did this to you is… Well”

You could only imagine his death was nothing short of horrible and painful. You didn’t know if finding satisfaction in this made you a terrible person, but you took comfort in the fact that he suffered more than you did. You only wished you had been there to see it.

“But my father, I…” He gulped. “He’ll know what happened here. If he strikes, which will be most likely the case, I’ll need to be ready. He won’t take you, not on my watch”

“I won’t let him take me, or Roy for that matter, away from you” You reassured him. “I’ll be out of this bed in no time and back at your side, just watch”

A small smile stretched his lips. “Always the warrior spirit” He leaned down and kissed your head. His lips lingered on your skin and your eyes fluttered close to prolonged contact. “But you’ll need to take it slow to recover. You need not to rush for me”

“I’ll always rush for you, my King” 

You noticed the hitch in his breath and the adoration in his eyes. The crystal shine of tears gave them an innocent glow, one you rarely observed on his face but appreciated every single time you had the chance to. It was easy to forget how young he actually was under all the weight that has been put onto him, he always seemed so much older and stern. You reached your hand for his face despite every single of your muscle screaming against it, and he leaned into your touch, softly closing his eyes. He allowed himself to relax just then, finally convincing himself that you would be okay. You had this gift with him, how you always managed to sneak into his heart and mind and bring him peace. He had been bewitched from the moment he met you, he had known right then and there he was already yours. And the fact that this connection transferred so easily to Roy, that you could make equal space in your heart for both of them only amplified his affection for you. You were their missing piece, and he would do anything– _anything_ for you. 

“How did I get so lucky?” He whispered, gently taking your hand on his cheek and kissing it. 

“It’s not luck” You smiled. “You took care of me when I needed you the most, I’m only returning the favor however I can”

“She’s quite a woman, isn’t she?” 

You and Jason looked up at the new voice joined in, and you couldn’t help but chuckle at Roy’s wide grin. He walked closer and gave Jason’s shoulder a little squeeze, sitting on the arm of his chair. Your shoulder hurt but now that you had them by your side, everything seemed better. 

“So, what are we going to do now?” He asked, eyeing you both. Jason took a deep breath, repeating Roy’s question in his head a few times. He didn’t have much time to think about something concrete, but it wasn’t the ideas that were missing.

“Well, this seems to me as a pretty clear declaration of war” He said, slowly trailing his eyes from yours to Roy’s. “We should react accordingly, don’t you think?”

“Hit ‘em hard and fast at the source, won’t matter if they see it coming or not” Roy nodded in approbation. “This is what you were thinking, right?”

A sinister smirk appeared on Jason’s lips. It was thrilling and frightening all the same, promising a terrible retribution. “My loves, we’re going to war”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realised I kinda made Bruce to be the bad guy here, oops. Sorry about that, but to my defence, family drama was something I built toward from the beginning 😅 Full disclosure, I have nothing against Bruce and Damian pls don’t come at me

_“–and the might of the casc… cascade could never compare to the ce… cerul… cerulean of her eyes. She was his hope, the only thing he cherished, none of his posse…ssions could ever be worth as much as a minute with her”_

You paused to breathe as you reached a paragraph break. You could feel Roy’s relaxed stare on you, a small smile ever present on his lips. His hand was absentmindedly rubbing your knees that were lying over his thigh, while his other arm was snugly wrapped around your waist. The quiet crackling of the fireplace indicated the need to add a log, but neither of you wanted to move from your nestled position. Eventually one would have to, though, before the room grew cold. 

“I like it when you read to me” Roy hummed, almost like he hadn’t meant to say it out loud. But if you knew one thing about him, it’s that he carried very little shame when it came to love. He would never intend to hide his thoughts when they came, and you admired that about him. Still, you couldn’t help but look down in embarrassment. 

Him and Jason had taught you to read some months after you joined them, when he passed you a map to find a town’s name and you had to tell him you couldn’t. Ever since, you worked often on your reading skills, leafing through whatever seemed interesting from Jason’s library. But you weren’t a natural, far from it. 

“I can’t even pronounce all the words correctly” You mumbled. “It must be hard to follow sometimes”

He gently pushed your chin up so he could look into your eyes again. It didn’t matter for one second for him that you didn’t have the diction of an erudit or the flow of a poet. All he wanted was to hear your voice and watch your eyebrows knit in concentration when you butted on a difficult word. He liked the little things so much better than the finished product.

“I think it sounds perfect”

The corner of your lips rose slightly at his praise as your heart skipped a few beats. Even after all the time you spent together, he always managed to find the right word to make you love him even more, if it was possible. His constant and unconditional support was your crutch, the thing you could rely on no matter what happened, the safe space in which you would never feel judged for what you couldn’t do. 

“You know” He began again when he noticed you had trouble believing what he said. You wanted to believe him, but deep inside he knew it was harder for you, and he understood all too well the feeling of not being enough. “I couldn’t read either before I was taken in by my warden”

You tilted your head to the side, frowning slightly. You had never known. 

“Took me years to get average at it. And you should have seen my writing– Hell, you should see it now, it’s catastrophic" 

You couldn’t help but giggle along as he laughed. It was contagious.

"It’s the same with Jason–No wait, the brat actually taught himself how to read somehow” He blinked slowly, like he was still surprised by it. You weren’t really, you knew Jason was even smarter than you were aware of. Than anyone was aware of. “But his writing was terrible until he got a proper tutor, that I know of for a fact”

“But his writing is so…” You trailed off, trying to find the right word. “Exquisite”

“Now who’s pulling out the big words, uh?”

“Shut up” You laughed, lightly hitting his chest with the book. “Don’t mock me”

“I’m not!” He argued, giving you wide, innocent eyes. He looked too cute for his own sake. “I swear I’m not. You’re just adorable when you get all flustered”

“We better start gearing up now” You evaded the subject, clearing your throat. “Jason will be expecting us–”

“Just one more chapter” He interrupted softly, caressing your waist. “Please?”

You held his stare for a moment before you were convinced, and you nodded, a sheepish smile on your face. You opened the book to the page you had marked and found the paragraph you had stopped to. 

_“As he was sitting by the window, he couldn’t help but think about the ar-arrival of the spring, only a few weeks away if nature de…cided to be kind–”_

“My Lord, my Lady” 

You paused your reading and looked up. This time, it was Roy who looked the most annoyed of the two of you. 

“It’s time”

You sighed and nodded, putting down the book on the table. Roy was clearly disappointed, but he helped you nevertheless get back on your feet, being careful not to pull on your bandages too much. You were healing well for your condition, you could now walk around and sit down without much help. Still, Roy and Jason didn’t like the idea of leaving you on your own for too long, just in case someone tried to come for you. You definitely couldn’t wield your axes just yet, so it made you an easy target even if you weren’t bed ridden anymore. 

You walked out of the chamber beside Roy, him following your slower pace without complaint. You reached the other end of the hallways and entered another room with chests and racks, where your equipment was kept. You began putting on your suit, the one you had made when you rode beside the Red Hood, well before he was king. It was all black with a red pointed arch on the chest that imitated Jason’s sigil, which was outlined with a single silver following your collarbone. It rose up the back of your neck and was reinforced to protect your vitals. 

“Could you help me pull it up, please?”

Roy nodded as he finished to lace his arm braces, stepping right behind you. He picked the stiff fabric and gently tugged it over your shoulder, brushing his fingers against your skin along the way. He was even more careful with your injured shoulder, making sure it wasn’t bent in any way to fit through the suit. He and Jason had advised against you wearing it, but you were stubborn and refused to show weakness in front of the enemy. Besides, it looked great on you. Roy then buttoned up the suit on your back and up your neck before giving you a kiss on the temple. 

“Close your eyes, I’ve got a little something for you” He whispered in your eyes, and despite your initial confusion, you did as you were told and shut your eyes. You felt something being passed over your head and gently rest on your shoulders, then straps being adjusted on your sides. “You can open the now”

You did as he said and looked down as he gently directed you to the mirror on your left. He had placed a beautiful piece of equipment that paired well with the colors of your suit, lightweight and practical, that covered your shoulders front and back. You usually went without, but it was appropriate considering another arrow in the back would do you no good right now. And since you most probably wouldn’t be using your axes anyway, you could do without your full shoulder movements range. 

“Where did you get this?” You asked as you trailed your finger on the skillfully crafted metal. There was no doubt it had been made for you by how it fit with both your body and suit. _It must have cost a fortune._

“The blacksmith in town, the one living near the gates of the castle” He began. “His son was killed by the guild of thieves that lived uptown, the ones we wiped off right after the undertaking. He wanted to thank us somehow, and when he learned about what happened to you, he made this as a present”

“It’s… Very beautiful” You breathed out. “I’ll have to thank him later on. This must have taken so much time to make”

“But you deserve it” He said as he placed a light kiss on your jaw. “You deserve the best. And the best suits you”

“Thank you” You nodded, taking his hand. The leather of his archery glove was rough against your skin, but it had also become a comfort born from the endless days you spent training and hunting on the road. It was tied to some of your best memories with him, and it still amazed you how a simple touch could bring it all back vividly like that. “Come on, Jason must be waiting for us”

You went down to the court, where Jason was talking with the commander and some generals. Upon hearing your footsteps, he perked up and turned around, taking you specifically in. He smiled and nodded, heading for the three black steeds, groomed and in full armor, in the hands of the stable hands. You followed him and grabbed the reins of your mount, carefully climbing on its back and sitting in the saddle.

“Are we ready?” Jason asked.

“Of course” Roy replied first, then both of their eyes set on you.

“Let’s do this” You nodded firmly.

With a kick of your heels, you took off the court and onto the bridge, in the direction of the Wayne Kingdom.

—

“Soooooo…” Roy trailed off. “Do you think he stood us up or..?”

You looked away from the horizon and to Roy, who was slouched over the pommel of the saddle while his horse was trying to dig for grass through the snow. “Maybe he’s trying to ambush us”

“I don’t think so” Jason mumbled, his eyes still set northwest. His back was straight with a hand resting on his hips, the other holding the reins tight. His horse was attentive, chewing on its bit in anticipation. “It wouldn’t be like him, not while we’re on this hill anyway” 

You nodded as your fingers flexed around the reins, a bit bored and definitely not impressed by the opposite party being late to their own meeting. There was barely any wind over the field, and the thick cover of the cloud didn’t let the sun rays through. Still, smoke came out of the horses’ nostrils with every breath they let out. 

“There they come”

You glanced forward again at Jason’s warning, seeing a small party of riders coming your way. They didn’t seem to be in a hurry, walking rather than trying to reach you at a trot. The closer they came, the better you could point out characteristics for each rider. The one at the front was wearing all black with a cape that fell over the pale gray horse he was riding. It was almost white, but the dark skin around its eyes and nose proved differently. The second rider was on a smaller chestnut horse, and was a child. You blinked a few times, but his youthful features were obvious. The two other riders some paces behind were an escort, soldiers with steel armors and banners from their kingdom. 

After a long waiting for them to actually be at hearing range, they finally stopped a few meters ahead and assessed your party. Jason was visibly tense, but his blue eyes gave nothing out on how he was feeling about seeing his father in front of him after all this time. They stared at each other for long minutes before the piercing glance of Bruce Wayne set on you. You clenched your jaw, not backing down, until his eyes finally left you. 

“Your… Friend seems to have healed quite well” The older king spoke first.

“Don’t act like you give a fuck” Jason sneered. “You were the one who made this coward attack on her happen in the first place”  
  


“Watch your mouth, runt” The child on the side almost barked. “You’re speaking to a legitimate King, unlike you”

“And who the fuck might this goblin be?” Roy said before he could stop himself. While the child looked appalled, Roy was still very relaxed on his horse. He might have been the only one to be, even if you did want to laugh at the outburst.

“I am the blood son, the true heir to the throne” He replied with all his might, except it didn’t quite have the desired effect, since he was on a pony, for one. “You peasant _will_ respect me, or–”

“Damian, please” Bruce interrupted firmly. “Now is not the time to settle this”

“But–”

“Why am I not surprised that you fathered a brat?” Jason leaned forward, feeling taunting for a moment. “Which one of your concubines had enough bad luck to get pregnant? Selina? Or was it Richard’s lover, whatever was her name? Or maybe Talia, oh memorable Talia–”

“Don’t speak of my mother that way” Damian pulled his sword out. 

“So Talia it is” He smirked. 

“We are here to negotiate peace, not fuel a war” Bruce replied sternly. “I can do much worse than an arrow in the shoulder of a loved one, you know it. So be careful what you’re advancing about my family”

“Then keep your son on a tighter leash” Jason said, his face returning to a serious expression. “I still haven’t made my mind about keeping peace, don’t give me reasons to leave this meeting before we can discuss it”

“I should be telling _you_ this” He squinted his eyes slightly. “You have thrown over a stable ally of this kingdom and stole the crown, then taken prisoner the King of Blüdhaven without giving a follow up on his state. You are in no place to threaten a war, yet here you are”

Jason waited a few seconds, not letting his stare waver. Then, he sighed and whistled. The plains were silent, until the faint sound of hooves cantering on the crisp snow grew closer to your position. Soon enough, you were passed on your left by another rider, slowly walking around you and toward Bruce’s party. Dick had a neutral expression as he turned around, stopping at Bruce’s side.

“Here” Jason waved his hand dismissively. “Your golden son, unharmed albeit slightly vexed”

“You should still pay for a crime like this” Bruce said.

“It’s fine” Dick tried to appease the tensions. “I do not wish to further this conflict, I have done enough already as it is”

“Why didn’t you fight back, Richard?” Damian asked in a judging and accusatory tone. “This is a disgrace to our family, and a display of weakness–”

“I was trying to avoid a much worse escalation of this conflict by owning a diplomatic mistake I made in the first place” He bit back. “What would you even know of politics, spoiled child?”

Roy laughed, and the sound only seemed to anger Damian more. You were in the middle of a family conflict, and unlike him, you didn’t know this side of the family well. You didn’t really know how to act, so you observed what would go down rather than actively participate. 

“I find the ginger man’s insolence unwelcomed in this matter” Damian said, trying to wash down the humiliation his brother had just handed to him. “He’s got nothing to do with it, and he’s got no title. He shouldn’t even be speaking”

“He speaks because I say he can” Jason defended Roy in a heartbeat, his tone strong and authoritative. “As far as I’m concerned, I’ve got a crown and you don’t, which puts me above you in status and therefore my wishes outweigh yours”

Your eyebrow rose slowly as your eyes met Roy’s, who had an equally stunned expression. Jason had _never_ used his status against anyone like that. It even seemed to take Damian by surprise, which was, with what you had learned about him in the last minutes, a hard feat to accomplish. If you were honest with yourself, while you loved Jason as a humble king, you were curious about the other side of him, even if he would show it in _private_.

“Your crown was stolen” Bruce reassessed. “The Kingdoms surrounding yours have decided this gesture would not stand. I wished a peaceful surrender from you, but it doesn’t seem like I will convince you to do so. You have three days to abdicate, until the next full moon, or your kingdom will be taken back by force”

“You think this is wise?” You finally spoke up on instinct, and all eyes turned to you, looking at you with surprise. You weren’t about to let those threats stand, especially not from Bruce. “Ever since King Jason came into power, he wiped out a guild that stole from families and murdered good people. Our kingdom is the safest for miles around, so much we get waves of new settlers even in winter. He lowered taxes on the population so much that most towns in the country have become flourishing trade posts in the span of a year, and instead taxed the nobility and cut on useless balls and dinners. Nobody starved last winter, and nobody is starving this one. Do you think the word didn’t get out to the other countries around? People are starting to want this for themselves too, and you think putting them through a devastating war will make things better? It will only make them resent you, those who didn’t already. We have people in every castle you know of who are ready to turn against you the second they get wind of aggression–”

“Bullshit” Damian called.

“Are you ready to take the risk?” You raised an eyebrow at him, before returning your glance to Bruce, who betrayed no emotion. “You will lose this war if you start it. You should consider your people before you send them to slaughter”

Silence fell over the hill for a moment.

“… What she said” Roy grinned, breaking the silence.

Bruce looked at Jason for a reaction, or most likely, some sort of opposition to what you had just said. Instead, he only readjusted his reins and straightened his back. “You heard right,” He said, not wavering. “You have three days, until the next moon, to annulate the warrants and back down. Think about your people, Bruce. Make the right decision”

With that mocking reprise of his father’s previous words, he turned his horse around and left him dumbfounded. With one last glance to their party, you followed Jason, trotting, then cantering away and back into your borders. Once you passed your soldiers’ road control, you slowed down to a walk.

“Huh” Roy exhaled as he leaned forward to glance at you over Jason’s horse between you two. “I didn’t know we had spies in other kingdoms”

“Now that I think about it,” Jason blinked a few times, his brows slightly furrowed. “Neither did I”

You shrugged. “Maybe we have them. That would be neat” 

You saw confusion, then astonishment flash in their eyes like their reactions were synchronized.

“Wait, did you just–”

“Did you fucking lie to Bruce in his face?” Roy cut off, almost yelling. Then, he laughed. “In his face?”

“By the time he realizes, no, if he even realizes I bluffed, we’ll have a solid plan to ward him off, no matter what he does” You explained. “We win”

“How did you manage to convince him?” Jason had an innocent incomprehension written all over his features, like a child in front of a magic trick. He was adorable. “You had _me_ convinced”

“Oh, boys” You grinned. “You think women survive this long in the world without becoming excellent liars? How do you think I managed to infiltrate the staff for a week before we invaded the castle?”

“By… Um” Roy trailed off. “Cleaning well?”

You laughed. “People had questions, my dear. I had to build myself a credible life to feed them, so I wasn’t thrown out of the castle instantly. Lying to the enemy is a skill I learned to cultivate a long time ago”

“You’re awesome, you know that?” He sighed, a loopy smile on his face. Jason still had a starstruck expression on his face, his eyes sparkling with admiration.

“Wouldn’t hurt to hear it again, I must admit” You teased back, jutting your chin up. “But there is one thing that would be better… Last one in the bedroom owes the first one a shoulder massage”

You didn’t wait for them to register your words before kicking your horse to a gallop, no doubt closely followed by them.

—

The dancing light of the candles of the chandelier left a soft glow on your naked skin, moving around and spreading warmth as it crawled up and down your body. You were sitting upright as hands moved gently on your shoulders, careful to avoid the sensitive area of your still healing wound. In your laps was Jason’s head, your hands threading slowly in his black hair as his eyes were shut close. He wasn’t sleeping, his breathing made his chest rise too fast for him to be. But he was relaxed, his neck muscles were untensed on your legs and there were no harsh lines on his face. 

You looked behind you when Roy’s hand stopped massaging, pulling your hair to the side and kissing the back of your neck. 

“You really gotta get a faster horse” Your lips curved upwards. “You’re always losing these races”

“I think my horse’s speed is just fine” He whispered back. “Besides, you are both right where I want you to be”

Jason smirked. “Losing is always suddenly part of someone’s plan when they never win”

“Laugh all you want” He sighed, dramatically laying down on his side beside you, then leaning forward close to Jason’s ear. “We all know I end up winning anyway when you beg my name like a prayer, _My King_ ”

You could feel the shiver travel up his spine on your laps, as well as the sudden shift in the tension in his muscles. You played along and let your hand slightly pull his hair, which surprised a moan out of him. His eyes opened wide, the blue of his irises being quickly consummated by the black of his pupils. Then, his glance set on Roy, something hard to read beside the promising spark in it.

“Are you sure you’re ready for a, what, fourth go at it today?” He raised an eyebrow as his hand brushed his cheek. “I didn’t think you jaw recovered from earlier”

You laughed airily as Roy grinned mischievously. “Maybe you can take that voice when you put that brat child in its place” You suggested as you trailed up your hand up Jason’s bare chest. “I’m sure he would be happy to get back on his knees if you did”

Roy groaned at the suggestion, already imagining the whole scene behind his fluttering eyelids. However, Jason didn’t quite follow up on his reaction. “Don’t tempt me with…” He trailed off, then noticed the mood change. “Hey, is there something wrong?”

Jason blinked, then shook his head and gave a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’m fine” He muttered, leaning forward to place a soft kiss on Roy’s lips. 

“No, something’s bothering you” He insisted gently. “What is it, Jay?”

Jason sighed, shaking his head. “It’s nothing” He replied, looking up to the ceiling. “Don’t worry about it”

“It’s clearly not nothing” You said as your hands threaded softly in his hair. “What’s eating at you?”

A silence followed your words. It was like Jason was searching for the right words, like he wanted to say it so bad but something else was holding him back. You were patient, however, and you didn’t mind that he took his time to tell you. You knew he would talk when he’s ready.

“It’s what Bruce said” Roy beat him to it, speaking barely over a whisper. “Isn’t it?”

You looked in between the two men, noticing how Jason did not deny Roy’s words. It was like they were having a silent conversation for a few seconds, before Roy put a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

“It’s how he didn’t see him as part of his family anymore” Roy spoke up, addressing you this time. “How Bruce didn’t seem to have any regret about replacing him in any way possible”

“Even after all this time” Jason gulped. “He won’t even stop reminding me he didn’t care”

“Oh, my love” You reached for his hand and grabbed it, intertwining your fingers with his and giving it a squeeze. “He doesn’t deserve you beating yourself up about him like that. You’re worth so much more than anything he could even give you”

“She’s right,” Roy nodded. “We’re your family now, not him. Not him ever again. And I promise you we’ll never betray you that way, we’ll never set you aside. You’re our lover, you’re our King, you’re the most important person for us, and we would do anything for you”

You could see the crystal gleam of tears pooling in his eyes before he blinked them away, resisting the urge to break down. Jason had not often known true affection until he met Roy, then you. He felt like he didn’t deserve either of you, and sometimes he wondered why exactly you decided everyday to stay by his side. But you did stay, you did support him and guided him when he needed it. He wouldn’t have been anywhere near where he was right now without you. 

“You’re both so good to me” He whispered, adoration clear in his voice as he glanced at you, then Roy. “What would I do without you?”

“You’d be wonderful either way” You smiled as you slipped beside him, careful not to pull on your bandages. Soon enough, Roy joined him on the other side, snuggling into him. “You’d miss on major cuddling, however”

His chest rose in a silent chuckle as he pulled you and Roy just a little bit closer. “Give yourselves more credit, I’d crash and burn without you both by my side”

“Let’s not bother with what ifs, yeah?” Roy replied, his lips curved upward as he kissed his shoulder. “It only matters that you’re here with us today, and that you are a damn good King. The rest doesn’t matter”

“The rest doesn’t matter” Jason repeated in a mutter, nodding lightly. “Only you. Only us” 


End file.
